STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) #DC-RFI-14-073 CONDUCTING DRUG TESTING OF OFFENDERS ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR SARASOTA COUNTY I. INTRODUCTION/STATEMENT OF NEED January 20, 2015 The Florida Department of Corrections, herein referred to as Department, is seeking information from experienced, qualified vendors who can provide laboratory drug testing collections site(s) and laboratory drug testing services to determine the presence of alcohol and/or controlled substances, which includes the Immunoassay Test and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) for offenders on supervision with the Department. Services shall include the provision of all necessary supplies, transportation and handling of specimens, confirmation testing and reporting of test results. The Department is requesting responses from vendors who have a minimum of three (3) years of business/corporate experience within the last five (5) years administering/managing drug testing services to a population of offenders in the Departments Sarasota office locations in Sarasota County. Probation and Parole Office Location Sites for Sarasota County 120 - Sarasota Circuit 2074 Ringling Boulevard Suite 30 Sarasota, Florida 34237-7008 Telephone: (941) 361-6322 Fax: (941) 361-6331 123 - Holiday Harbor 658 South Tamiami Trail Osprey, Florida 34229-9209 Telephone: (941) 918-2780 Fax: (941) 918-2784 124 - Bayshore Gardens 1844 17 th Street Sarasota, Florida 34234 Telephone: (941) 751-7611 Fax: (941) 751-7616
II. BACKGROUND Pursuant to Chapter 945, Florida Statutes (F.S.), the Department is responsible for the supervisory and protective care, custody, and control of its inmate population and supervision of its probationer population. The Department desires to detect and deter illegal drug use by offenders that are on community supervision with Florida Department of Corrections. The Department has approximately 2,744 offenders on community supervision in Sarasota County. A resource for offenders to obtain laboratory drug testing services is needed within the geographical area. In the fiscal year of 2013-2014, the Probation and Parole Offices in Sarasota County collected approximately 6,228 specimens. Of these specimens (6,228), approximately 347 GC/MS confirmations were conducted with an average of two (2) drugs per confirmation. III. PURPOSE OF RFI Pursuant to Rule 60A-1.042, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), an agency may request information from the business community by issuing a written Request for Information (RFI). Agencies may use RFI s in circumstances including, but not limited to, determining whether or not to competitively procure a commodity or contractual service, determining what solicitation process to use for a particular need, or researching general, special, and/or technical specifications for a solicitation. A vendor s answer to a RFI is not an offer and shall not be used to justify a contract with that vendor without otherwise complying with Chapter 287, F.S., and Rule 60A-1, F.A.C. Vendors submitting answers to an agency s RFI are not prohibited from responding to any related subsequent solicitation. The Department reserves the right to use or reject any information supplied in response to this RFI. Interested parties are requested to answer all questions contained in Section IV of this RFI. Additionally, interested parties shall provide details of enhancements and other applications and systems that may apply to the delivery of services or technology described. IV. QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES Responses to this RFI should indicate how a vendor would provide laboratory drug testing, including but not limited to necessary supplies, transportation of specimens, handling of specimens, confirmation testing and reporting of test results. In addition, responses should include narrative and documents addressing the following specific statements and questions: 1. Does your company maintain all necessary certifications, license as required by the State of Florida to conduct laboratory drug testing? 2. Has your laboratory State of Florida certification, license been suspended for any reason? If so, what were the reason(s)? 3. Is your laboratory certified by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)?
4. Has your laboratory SAMHSA certification been suspended for any reason? If so, what were the reason(s)? 5. Does your laboratory provide confirmation testing using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry? 6. Does your laboratory provide specimen validity testing (defined as diluted, adulterated, and/or substituted as recommended by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration)? 7. Describe your company s experience in specimen collection and conducting drug testing? The response should also include assigned staff s experience. 8. Describe how your company will ensure adequate staff is available during normal working hours (8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) at the Laboratory s collection site(s) to collect specimens and conduct laboratory testing and confirmations daily. 9. The Department s protocol requires same gender observation when collecting specimens from offenders. Does your company have adequate staff to ensure that all specimens collected are observed during the collection process by the same gender? 10. Does your company have the capability to setup accounts and subaccounts to provide electronic invoicing under one contract if necessary? 11. Does your company utilize the thresholds listed below that will meet the following cut off levels? Drug Name Initial Test Confirmation Cocaine (cocaine and metabolites) 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml Opiates (Codeine, Morphine, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone) 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml 6-Acetymorphine (6-AM) Heroin metabolite NA 10 ng/ml PCP (Phencyclidine) 25 ng/ml 25 ng/ml Amphetamines (Amphetamine, Methamphetamine) 1000 ng/ml 500 ng/ml Amphetamine 1000 ng/ml 500 ng/ml Methamphetamine 1000 ng/ml 500 ng/ml MDMA ( MDMA, MDA, MDEA) 500 ng/ml 250 ng/ml Cannabis (Cannabinoids, THC) 50 ng/ml 15 ng/ml
Drug Name Initial Test Confirmation Benzodiazepines (Oxazepam, Temazepam, alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, Lorazepam, Nordiazepam) 200 or 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml Barbiturates (Butalbital, Amobarbital, Secobarbital, Pentobarbital, Phenobarbital) 200 or 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml Alcohol.02% g/dl.02% g/dl Methadone 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml Lyseric Acid Diethylamide (LSD) <or=0.5 ng/ml <or=1.0ng/ml. Gamma Hydroxybutric (GHB) 10 ug/ml 10ug/ml Anabolic Steroids NA Pos/neg Note: Thresholds may change as standards in forensic testing advance and notification of change shall be by written notification (letter) from the Department. 12. Does your company test for any synthetic drugs, (i.e. Spice)? 13. Describe your company s experience in working with judiciaries, state attorneys, and other criminal justice agencies. 14. If required in court proceedings, does your company have experienced staff to testify, if the collection process is challenged in court and or the results of the laboratory test if confirmation is performed by the vendor s laboratory? 15. Does your company have experienced expert witnesses that are able to provide in person expert testimony in court proceedings? 16. Would your company be willing to provide the following services to judicial entities for the amounts listed? telephone testimony will be provided upon request at a cost of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per request regardless of length of time involved; litigation packages will be provided upon request at a cost of one hundred dollars ($100.00) each; and video conferencing will be provided upon request at a cost of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per request regardless of length of time involved. 17. Are you able to customize and report your individual drug testing results, which will indicate the following? Specimen Identification (including the Offender s Name, Department s Identification Number),
Probation Officer s Name, Date Specimen Collected, Specimen Collection Site, Date Specimen Received by Laboratory, Initial Screen Results and Date Reported by Laboratory, Initial Screen Threshold Level, Certification of Certifying Scientist of the Initial Screen, Confirmation and/or Special Test Results and Date Reported by Laboratory, Confirmation and/or Special Test Threshold Level, Confirmation Drug Concentration, Certification of Certifying Scientist of the Confirmation and/or Special Test, Rejected Specimen and Reason. 18. How long does your laboratory store positive specimens? 19. How long does your laboratory keep documentation on positive test results? 20. When are negative specimens discarded? 21. Can your laboratory provide individual test results data electronically to the Department in a method that is secure? V. PUBLIC RECORDS Note: The Department requires that the method of electronic data transfer occur via a secured means approved by the Department and in a format approved by the Department. Vendors are cautioned that Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record (see, for example, Section 119.07, F.S.). If a vendor responding to this RFI believes that its information submittal contains information that should not be a public record, the vendor shall clearly segregate and mark that information (for example, stamp each page "Confidential" and place it in an envelope marked "Confidential") and briefly describe in writing the grounds for claiming exemption from the public records law. The Department will not independently evaluate claims of exemption. If the Department receives a public records request related to this RFI, the Department shall notify the vendor in writing at least seven (7) days before making the information available for review by the requester. The vendor shall be solely responsible for taking whatever action it deems appropriate to legally protect its claim of exemption from the public records law. If the vendor fails to do so, the Department shall make the information available for review. In no event shall the Department or any of its employees or agents be liable for disclosing, or otherwise failing to protect the confidentiality of information submitted in response to this RFI. In addition, the Department will attempt to afford protection from disclosure of any trade secret as defined in Section 812.081, F.S., where identified as such in information provided in response to this RFI, to the extent permitted under Section 815.04, F.S. By submitting information in response to this RFI, a vendor acknowledges, however, that the protection afforded by Section 815.04, F.S., is incomplete, and it is hereby agreed by the vendor and the Department that no right or remedy for damages arises from any disclosure. No cost information is to be provided in response to this RFI since there will be no contract awarded as a result of issuing this document.
VI. SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION Responses must be in writing and submitted via mail or email no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, February 3, 2015. If responses are submitted by mail in hard copy format, an original, three (3) copies, and (1) one electronic copy containing all of the information on CD shall be submitted. All electronic submissions shall be in the Microsoft format and attachments shall be submitted in a PDF, Microsoft Word, and or Microsoft Excel file. Responses must reference the RFI number DC RFI-14-073, the company name, address, telephone number, email address and contact person. Send responses to: Jacklyn Colson Department of Corrections Bureau of Procurement and Supply 501 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500 Telephone: (850) 717-3688 Fax: (850) 488-7189 E-mail: colson.jacklyn@mail.dc.state.fl.us VII. VENDOR COSTS Vendors are responsible for all costs associated with the preparation, submission, and any potential meeting to discuss this Request for Information. The State of Florida Department of Corrections will not be responsible for any vendor related costs associated with responding to this request. The Department of Corrections sincerely appreciates your time and interest in responding to this Request for Information.